Signified – the mental association that we have when we hear or see the sign

4.
Look at these signs – write down the signifier (what it is) and the signified ( what you think of when you see this sign ) Saussure noticed that the link between the signifier (what you call or label a sign) and what it stands for, is a random or arbitrary thing. What is the link between these objects and their labels?

5.
There is no concrete, tangible link between signs and their labels – the words we use for them.

harridan

libel

meridian

picket

What do these words stand for? What do you think of when you read or say these words?

An index is a sign which is related to the object it represents but not directly or in a concrete way.

For example, a knock on the door – an index of arrival . The knock is not ARRIVAL, it is not a direct representation of arrival, but it indicates arrival and is connected to that event.

Most facial expressions work in an indexical way – because you cannot represent an emotion, we look for signs which indicate them e.g a smile is an index (or sign) of happiness. The smile isn’t a direct representation of happiness.

Indexes are used to represent abstract things – emotions, ideas etc. Most non-verbal signs are indexes.